A Black Life
by peruvianprincess
Summary: AU, Sirius never goes to Azkaban. Harry is rescued from the Dursley's by Sirius, Remus and ... Dumbledore! shortly after his parents die.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: Not my characters - I'm borrowing this whole world from JKR.

Prologue

Sirius Black collapsed into a chair in the kitchen of number 12 Grimmauld Place and leaned forward with his head in his hands, his dark hair falling forward to cover his weary blue eyes, his elbows on the surface of the large table. His best friend, Remus Lupin, brown hair streaked prematurely gray, light brown eyes permanently saddened by recent events, was already sitting there and looked as if he hadn't moved in a while. Sirius groaned softly and peeked wearily through his fingers at Remus.

"I never thought they would finish questioning me," he said raspily. He had almost lost his voice during the last 24 hours, as he had repeatedly answered questions from a team of aurors who were interrogating him, under the influence of Veritaserum, concerning the double homicides of another of his best friends, James Potter, and James' wife, Lily. Sirius leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes as he remembered the events of the previous evening, Halloween night.

His mind was overwhelmed as he recalled a growing feeling of horror as he stood in front of the demolished shell of the house that had once belonged to James and Lily Potter. He realized the Fidelius charm that kept the Potter's safe from the Dark Lord Voldemort had been removed, and he was the only one who knew who the Secret Keeper had been - their other best friend, Peter Pettigrew! He still couldn't believe it. Peter was a traitor! His first thought had been to drop everything and pursue his 'friend' so that he could kill him too. But as he turned to apparate away from the death and destruction that surrounded him, he heard a baby cry. Harry! He had forgotten about James and Lily's son. He was here...and alive!

Sirius searched the rubble in the area where he could see Lily lying, her beautiful auburn hair framing her too still face and shoulders, trying not to see the dullness of her once bright, green eyes. He found Harry at last, trapped beneath the overturned crib, reaching out through the bars for his mother as if through the bars of a prison. Sirius carefully lifted the crib and scooped his godson up in his arms, holding him tightly and rocking him from side to side with tears sliding down his cheeks and his breath coming in heavy gasps.

From then on, Sirius couldn't remember much except handing Harry over to Rubeus Hagrid, the groundskeeper at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This had been done at the request of the school's Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, a personal friend of the Potters and the head of the Order of the Phoenix, (an underground organization dedicated to fighting evil and specifically Voldemort), who had been trying to help keep them alive. Dumbledore was under the mistaken belief that Sirius was the Potter's Secret Keeper. Being detained by the aurors and explaining to them why Peter was the Potter's Secret Keeper instead of Sirius or Remus flew by in a blur of dissipating anger and growing grief until the threatening tears finally fell and he couldn't talk any more. They had let him go then, finally convinced that he had no part in the betrayal.

Sirius finally looked over at Remus, who was still sitting in the same position he was in when Sirius came into the kitchen. His hands were folded in his lap and his tear-reddened eyes were staring at the fire in the fireplace without truly seeing it. He wasn't even sure Remus had heard him speak. He decided to try again. "It's a good thing Dumbledore showed up and insisted they use the Veritaserum, or I would be sitting in a cell in Azkaban right now. They were going to put me away without asking any questions at first."

Remus lifted his eyes and sadly smiled at Sirius. "I'm glad they let you go. Your house elf was getting a little edgy." Sirius snorted a half-laugh, glad for the small moment of levity after the stress that they had both been under. The Black's house elf, Kreacher, was notorious for his hatred of anyone who wasn't a pure-blood witch or wizard; especially Sirius' friend Remus, who was also a werewolf.

"I'm going up to bed," said Sirius. "I think you should too. Dumbledore asked us to come to Hogwarts in the morning to discuss what happened yesterday and what will happen to Harry now."

Remus pushed himself slowly to his feet and reached a hand over to Sirius to help him up. Before he let go of Sirius' hand though, he pulled his friend in for a brief hug, then stepped back to hold him by the shoulders for a moment. He let go and quietly whispered, half to himself, "I don't know what I what I would have done if I had lost you too." He walked out of the kitchen to take the stairs up to his room, and Sirius slowly followed, seeking his own rest. He shuddered at the thought of any of the four best friends, known in school as the Marauders, being left alone and friendless. "Make that three best friends," he thought savagely, as he remembered the one that had betrayed them all.

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After pretending to eat breakfast, (and ignoring the accounts in the paper of the celebrations that were still going on over the disappearance of Voldemort), Sirius and Remus flooed to Dumbledore's office at Hogwarts for their scheduled meeting with the Headmaster.

Dumbledore looked over the top of his half-moon glasses at the two young men sitting in front of him. They already looked so disheartened that he knew what he had to say would not sit well with them. There would be a struggle to get them to agree to it. He took a deep breath and began.

"I have begun making arrangements with Lily's family for the interment of James and Lily. I thought you would want to be a part of the preparations also, since James hasn't any other family left to confer with. I am also concerned for several different reasons and I would like your in-put on the situation."

"First, there are still Death Eaters at large who would like nothing more than to use the death of James and Lily for their own ends. Necromancy, as you know, has always been something that witches and wizards have had to take into account when they die. That is why many of us prefer to be cremated and our ashes scattered, instead of being buried somewhere and worrying about someone using our remains for nefarious purposes. To that end, I have arranged for a small ceremony that will be attended only by those closest to James and Lily, including Lily's sister if she so chooses. Since you..were..their closest friends, I was waiting to see when you felt able to attend such a gathering."

The slight hesitation over the past tense had been noticed. He looked closely at Sirius and Remus as they sat gripping the arms of their chairs and trying to look like they weren't on the verge of tears again. Sirius swiped the back of his hand across his eyes and cleared his throat before saying that sooner would be better than later in order to keep things as confidential as possible. Dumbledore agreed, and they set down the names of the friends that would be invited to participate. A small group that included only members of the Order of the Phoenix. Friends who could be counted on to keep their own counsel.

"Secondly," Dumbledore continued, "is the matter concerning young Harry."

Here Sirius interrupted him. "Yes," he said eagerly. "I understand why you had Hagrid take Harry away with him..that..night.." he stumbled over the words, then tried again, "but now that I've been cleared and we are making plans for the future, I'm willing to take on the responsibility of being his guardian, as James and Lily asked me to do if anything ever happened to them."

Remus looked up also and nodded his head with determination before adding, "I'll be there for Harry too. I'm staying with Sirius right now anyway. You know we both had the highest marks in our Defense Against the Dark Arts classes, and we both love Harry more than anything. We will be able to protect him, and make up - at least somewhat - for not having his parents."

Dumbledore nodded his head approvingly at their show of loyalty and readiness to follow through. When he spoke though, they could hear the misgivings in his voice. "Under any other circumstances I would agree with you. However, these are perilous times and we must consider the future carefully."

"Most of the wizarding world is celebrating what they think of as the death of Voldemort. Unfortunately some of us know this is not a complete victory." He raised his hand to deter them from speaking as he saw the questions in their eyes, "In all likelihood, Voldemort is not truly dead. He has gone so far along the road of the Dark Arts that I believe he has found a way to stay connected to this plane of existence even though his body has been destroyed. There are those who followed him who may someday be able to help him regain his corporeal form, and return Voldemort and his disciples to the power that he has previously held."

"Young Harry is caught up in this simply because he is a symbol of Voldemort's physical defeat. He would be in great danger if it were known where he is living and being raised. It will not be easy to hide him from those who would wish him harm."

"Then how..." Sirius paused to lick his suddenly dry lips. He could feel his heart beating in his chest. "How can we possibly keep Harry safe?"

Dumbledore leaned back in his chair and stroked his beard with one hand as he answered, " Blood Magic".

Startled, Remus searched the Headmaster's face, "I haven't come across any references to this type of magic in anything I have studied on Light Magic." He narrowed his eyes. "This is Light Magic, isn't it?"

Dumbledore smiled as he answered Remus. "I know how you love to learn, my dear boy, but you must concur that I am a few years older than you, and have had the time and resources to study much more than you know at this time." He became sober once more, "Blood Magic is neither Dark or Light Magic. Indeed, most magic cannot be so categorized. It is what we do with our magic that makes us what we are, not the magic itself."

"So it is with Blood Magic. For our part, we can use it to keep Harry safe. That definitely falls under 'Light Magic' in my estimation."

Sirius and Remus looked at each other before nodding at Dumbledore to continue.

The Headmaster braced himself for the coming storm and said, "The best solution I have been able to come up with for keeping your Godson safe, Sirius, is to request sanctuary for him at the home of his only living blood relative, Petunia Dursley."

As one, the two friends jumped to their feet and shouted, "NO!"

Banging his fist on Dumbledore's desk, Sirius continued to rant, "You can't seriously be considering letting Harry anywhere near those petty-minded bigots! Let alone allowing him to be raised by them! How will he know anything of the world his parents belonged to? I can't picture Petunia, or that Neanderthal husband of hers, allowing him to be brought up to know about magic; just as I know they will not give him the love he will need! James and Lily made me Harry's Godfather for a _reason_, you know. They knew how prejudiced Lily's sister was against magic! Petunia hates anything to do with such an 'abnormality'. Her jealousy of Lily was well known to all of Lily's close friends. How do you really think she'll treat her sister's child?"

Remus allowed Sirius to speak for both of them while he continued to stand, glaring at the Headmaster, with his hands clenched in fists at his sides. When Sirius wound down enough for someone else to be heard, Dumbledore raised both hands up in a placating gesture and requested both of the young men to sit and listen again.

They did as the Headmaster requested, but they were both on the edges of their seats. He knew that he must be persuasive in order to make them understand his reasoning for this, seemingly, unreasonable plan.

Author's Notes:

I'm looking forward to some reviews. This is my first story and I have a great beta. Hope you enjoy the storyline.


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: This world of magic belongs to JK Rowling. I'm just playing with the action figures for a while.

Chapter 1 – Black and Blue

A ripple in the air in front of Number 4 Privet Drive in Little Whinging, Surrey, England gave away the fact that someone, an invisible someone, was standing near this quite normal, suburban home belonging to Mr. And Mrs. Vernon Dursley. If you were looking that is - and if you believed that someone could be invisible - which you could if you believed in witches and wizards. Because it was a wizard who was standing near Number 4 Privet Drive and he was under an invisibility cloak.

Sirius Black was being careful to stay on the cleared sidewalk and driveway of the home, since it had snowed the night before and he didn't want to leave any tracks on the lawn. This made it harder for him to get close enough to see anything through the windows.

Sirius blew on his fingers and waited impatiently on the front porch landing for the owner of the home to leave for work. He was hoping that he would be able to slip past Mr. Dursley as he opened the door to go out to his car, and spend some time inside the house observing how Mrs. Dursley interacted with her two-year old son...and her 16 month old nephew. Petunia Dursley was Harry Potter's Aunt and he had been living in her home for two weeks now. His Godfather and Remus were anxious to see how Harry was being treated, whether he was happy, or not.

They had been subjected to first hand accounts of Petunia Dursley's hatred of the wizarding world from her sister Lily when she had been alive; and they couldn't believe that Petunia would gladly take in Lily's son without some sort of protest and/or petty retaliation against him.

Sirius and Remus had started staking out the home two days ago to see what the couple's pattern of living was, and now they were going to actually go inside and see for themselves how Harry lived. It was Sirius' turn to stand watch and he was very excited to be able to finally see his Godson.

The door handle began to turn and Sirius could hear Vernon calling good-bye to his wife as the door began to open. Vernon Dursley was a great walrus of a man, with a mustache to match, and Sirius was concerned that he wouldn't be able to get by him without being discovered. He was in luck though. As Vernon opened the door and stepped out on the landing he stopped, with his hand still holding the door open, to breath deeply of the fresh, chilly air and look about him at his home and car with an expression of pride on his florid face. It was a morning ritual with him that Sirius now took advantage of. He slipped through the door behind Vernon as he held the door open - and almost ran into Petunia. She had hurried into the foyer of their home with their rather large-for-his-age son on her hip to let him give his father a wave good-bye.

Sirius sidled past Petunia into the living room and carefully walked over to the far corner where he would be out of the way. He looked around the scrupulously clean room for any sign of another child. There was nothing but an empty playpen behind the couch. There weren't even any toys in the playpen.

The sound of a small hand slapping against a flat surface came from the kitchen, along with the quiet murmur of baby talk. Sirius smiled to himself and headed toward the kitchen. There he found two high-chairs. One occupied by a small, black-haired, green-eyed little boy. He was chasing the remains of some dry toast around on the tray of the high-chair.

As Sirius watched him play, he noticed that Harry would sometimes stop playing with his toast scraps and lean over, reaching for the other high-chair. He assumed that one was for Petunia's son, Dudley. He could see the tray, instead of only containing toast scraps, was full of scrambled eggs, bacon and other signs of a hearty breakfast, and the floor underneath the chair was littered with the same kinds of food. The floor under Harry's chair however only showed a few more scraps of dry toast.

_Maybe he doesn't like eggs.__Maybe he's a picky eater and he only likes toast._ Sirius was trying to convince himself that he wasn't seeing any kind of favoritism. _Although isn't Harry a little young to be left alone in a high-chair? He could climb out and fall over the side. _His brow creased lightly with concern as he thought this, although as a bachelor he wasn't really sure what a responsible mother would have done. It just seemed a little risky to him.

While he was watching Harry, Petunia returned to the kitchen with Dudley after seeing Vernon off to work. She walked in and plunked Dudley back in his own seat and encouraged him to continue eating the food that was on his tray, offering to heat it up again for him if it was too cold. Sirius cringed as the large boy grabbed handfuls of the food and crammed them into his mouth. He smeared the food over his face and pushed more off the tray onto the floor.

Petunia then turned to Harry and bent over to pick up the scraps of toast that had fallen to the floor, returning them to his tray, berating him at the same time for making a mess. When he took one of the scraps to eat, another accidently fell to the floor again. Petunia slapped his hand and scolded him for making another mess.

Sirius knew that his mouth was hanging open, and he could feel a growl of protest coming up from his chest. He knew it would burst out in a moment so he clapped a hand over his mouth to help keep the sound in. He couldn't believe what he was seeing! The only thing that kept him from whipping the invisibility cloak off right then and there, and running out of the house with Harry in his arms, was the knowledge that Dumbledore would require more proof than this one instance to believe that Harry was being mistreated. Sirius was determined to stay and store up as many memories as he could stomach so that he could show them to the Headmaster in all their glory. Then Dumbledore wouldn't be able to deny what he could see for himself!

When Petunia laid the boys down for a nap after lunch, Sirius took the opportunity to let himself out the back door and walk far enough away to apparate back home. During the hours after breakfast, Sirius had watched as Petunia cleaned up the boys. He saw her coo and play with Dudley while carefully wiping the food off of his face and clothes and cleaning up around his seat. She left Harry in his chair again as she gave her son a bath and changed his outfit. After putting him on the clean floor to play, she harshly wiped down Harry and changed his nappie. Then carted him off to the living room where she put him it the playpen that Sirius had noticed earlier.

Toys were brought out and scattered around the floor as Dudley toddled in from the kitchen. None of the toys made it into the playpen where Harry sat though. When one got close enough for Harry to reach out and pull it into the playpen with him, his cousin started to cry. Petunia saw what had happened and she immediately took the toy from Harry and gave it to her son. Dudley stopped crying. Harry just watched in confusion. When he tried to reach out for the toy again his cousin hit him with it and then crawled away, leaving it just out of Harry's reach.

The morning continued to pass in like manner. Dudley was praised and Harry was scolded. Dudley was given whatever he wanted and Harry had the cast-offs until his cousin wanted them too. Sirius was under so much strain from keeping himself hidden that he thought he would explode.

The last straw was when Petunia started getting the boys ready to lay down for their nap. When she opened the cupboard under the stairs and he saw a mattress inside, Sirius at first didn't know what to think. It wasn't until he saw her pick up Harry out of his playpen and carry him over to the cupboard that he understood. The young boy started to fuss, and the closer he got to the cupboard, the harder he cried. When she closed the cupboard with Harry inside, crying and hitting the door, begging for release, Sirius was in shock. He bit his lip and clenched his hands so hard they hurt. A tear escaped to trickle down his face.

xxxxxxx

Remus didn't have to ask what the outcome of the morning's expedition had been. One look at his friend's face and he knew better than to say anything. He waited while Sirius paced back and forth in the kitchen, slamming cupboard doors as he pretended to look for something to eat. Though nothing would have stayed down, he was that upset. Sirius finally threw himself into one of the chairs and slapped his hand sharply on the table while muttering an expletive.

Turning to Remus he growled, "What a hateful woman! I could hardly contain myself!" His face screwed up in remembrance of the morning and when he had related all that he had seen to his friend, he said, "You have to go back and watch too. See if things are any different this afternoon. You can go in the back door while Petunia is busy or napping with the children. I left the door unlocked."

"I know the ministry won't accept testimony from you because of your lycanthropy, but Dumbledore _must_. In the meantime I am going to start going through the Black family library and look for the strongest protection measures I can find. We HAVE to convince him to let us take Harry away from those...Muggles!"

When Remus returned that evening, seething with anger after seeing Vernon slap Harry to get him to stop crying, he too agreed with Sirius and joined his friend in the library, tearing through books with a vengeance in search of an alternative to leaving Harry to live with such horrid people.


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: This world of magic belongs to JK Rowling. I'm just playing with the action figures for a while.

Chapter 2 – Black Magic

Remus was hunched over a table in the Black family library, feverishly searching through every tome he thought might be remotely related to protection spells, charms or potions; and even those that didn't. Basically, every book in the library, one of the largest in the wizarding world, was fair game.

Sirius had been working just as fervently, but he had stopped to stretch for a few minutes and to prepare tea for the two of them. His house elf, Kreacher, had been pretty much useless since old Mrs. Black had passed away and Sirius had become the head of the family.

It was just half past ten o'clock in the morning on the day following their surveillance of Harry and the Dursleys, and the two men had been up most of the night, napping for a while, and then resuming their search in the early hours. They were both exhausted, but refused to give in. They knew Harry's happiness, and maybe even his life, (if things got much worse), could rest on what they were looking for.

His eyes following his fingers as they skimmed across the page, Remus barely registered Sirius coming back into the room bearing a tray that held two cups of tea, some store-bought, muggle biscuits, a bowl of sugar, cream, and a full pot to replenish the cups from.

"Ready for a break?", Sirius asked Remus as he set the tray down on the table, far enough away from the books to diminish the possibility of ruining them in case something got spilled. "No," Remus replied staunchly. He held his hand out for Sirius to put a cup in it, "not until I find something we can use." He took a sip of the hot beverage and made a face, "You forgot the sugar!" Sirius picked up the sugar bowl and passed it to Remus, then carried his own cup over to the overstuffed armchair he had been sitting in all morning and resumed reading where he had left off. The silence was broken only by the rustle of pages turning while both men continued to thoroughly comb every book and roll of parchment they could find.

Hours later Remus lifted his face from the scroll he was engrossed in to stare at the far wall, and whispered, "This could be it!" He lowered his head again and re-read the passage that had caught his attention, continuing on to the end of the scroll. He paused again and closed his eyes as he concentrated on whether what he had read was a viable solution to their problem. "It's Blood Magic." He murmured to himself again, "Blood Magic is what Dumbledore is using now to protect Harry. That is the strongest magic that he could find, but there is more to this than just blood."

Hearing Remus muttering to himself, Sirius looked across the room and queried,"Were you saying something?"

Remus was gradually getting louder as he thought out the problem and he began to gesture with his hands, finally standing to pace back and forth while Sirius looked on in trepidation. Suddenly Remus stopped. He turned to Sirius and called him over to the table where he had been studying the scroll. "Here! Look at this and tell me what you think." Remus pushed the parchment over to Sirius and pointed to the part he had read before. He bounced slightly on the balls of his feet as he waited for Sirius to catch up to what he was thinking.

The dark haired man looked up at Remus hopefully. "I think you're on to something! This could give us the edge we need to protect Harry even though we're not directly related."

"Yes!" Remus encouraged him, "An adoption ritual that would essentially make Harry a blood relative, but it hinges on the feelings that are invoked - on the love you have for James and Lily's child."

Sirius shook his head and insisted, "We, Remus. Both of us can do this. We can both perform the ritual and protect Harry."

"I'm afraid not Sirius." Remus spoke quietly again. "Look at this passage here. This specifies only full humans may participate. You know that rules me out." He hung his head, an expression of self-loathing on his face.

Standing, Sirius reached over and pushed lightly on Remus' shoulder. "It won't make a difference in the long run whether you actually take part or not. Harry will still grow up knowing you love him and calling you 'Uncle Moony'." Sirius smirked. He laughed for the first time since he had left the Dursley's humor-crushing household. "Can you just see the two of us potty training a two-year-old? He still has a chance to grow up warped!" Remus joined him in his laughter for a moment as they contemplated what was now a very _possible_ future.

"Come on," Sirius made a move toward the door, "we can't waste time now. We must get Harry out of there as soon as we can. We'll have to get everything together that we need for the ritual, and then..." he paused dramatically, "we go see the Dursleys!" He had a gleam in his eyes that didn't bode well for Harry's guardians.

"That's not all we have to do," interjected Remus quickly, "in the interest of our continued good health I don't think we should cross Dumbledore in this. He may be slow to anger, but if we go behind his back then we'll be watching our own backs for a long time to come. We should finish preparing, and then present our findings in a well-thought-out manner. We need him on our side to give Harry the best protection we can. There are things he can do, with his connections, that we can't - and to have his strength added to yours for the ritual would be an undeniable bonus."

Sirius sighed, "I knew there was a reason you were made a Prefect at school." He nodded his head in firmly in agreement, "You're right. Lets do this and get it over with so we can get Harry away from those miserable miscreants." Pulling out his wand he quickly made a copy of the information onto a fresh piece of parchment, then he and Remus hurried from the library.

xxxxxxx

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Grand Sorcerer, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Order of Merlin First Class, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Founder and Secret Keeper of the Order of the Phoenix...sat with his mouth opening and closing like a fish stranded on dry land after he had viewed the memories of Harry's treatment at the hands of the Dursleys that Sirius and Remus had put into his pensieve.

_Never have my good intentions been so misguided, _he thought sadly, _How can I make this up to all of them?_

As if in answer to his unspoken question, Remus cleared his throat and pulled a slightly crumpled piece of parchment out of the pocket of his well-worn robes. "We found something in the Black family library that we hope may solve our problems," he said, trying to restrain his sense of urgency, but failing. He and Sirius watched anxiously as the Headmaster read through the copied document that they had brought, and relief flashed in their eyes as they saw Dumbledore nodding to himself over what he was reading.

"Yes, yes," Albus said aloud, nodding again, and this time he allowed a smile to light up his face, "You have found just the thing! I have read about this type of magic before, (indeed it is closely aligned with the Blood Magic I have employed at Harry's current home), but the manuscripts were thought to have been lost, along with the knowledge of how to perform the rite. No time must be wasted in removing the boy from his current situation! This predicament is entirely my doing and I will do whatever I can to remedy the situation." That said, they began assigning responsibilities and looking up the ingredients that would be incorporated into the ceremony.


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: This world of magic belongs to JK Rowling. I'm just playing with the action figures for a while.

Chapter 3 – There's No Place Like Home

Sirius was dispatched to Diagon Alley to gather all the ingredients they needed, while Remus and Dumbledore continued to confer upon the timing involved, how soon they would be ready, and when they could safely remove Harry from the Dursely's harmful habitation. It was decided that the appropriate time for the ceremony making Harry James Potter an adopted blood relative of Sirius Orion Black would be in three days, at midnight, on the cusp of a new moon. There was much to do before then.

The Black family was an ancient and noble family. Sirius was the last direct heir of that line. He had several homes located in different countries. One of his homes was number 12 Grimmauld Place, where Sirius and Remus were presently living. That house was in London. It was unplottable and very secure, but most of the Black family had been dark wizards and the house was full of old artifacts and odd remnants of dark magic, not to mention a decrepit house elf who was so twisted that he kept the house like a shrine to the Dark Lord. They all felt it would take longer than three days to get it ready for a child to be able to live there, and it would be too easy for Harry to be seen if he lived in the heart of London. Therefore, while Remus was working out a plan for taking Harry from the Dursleys, and Dumbledore was researching and preparing for the ritual, Sirius took a trip to another of his estates.

It was on a small island in the Atlantic Ocean, near Bermuda. Sirius felt that if they had to go into hiding they might as well enjoy the weather. It was also in an area where magic was already being done. Not heavily populated, but enough wizards and witches that no one would notice anything out of the ordinary. Merlin was reputed to have visited there at one time. There was no magical ministry monitoring the area either, so as Harry grew older, they would be able to teach him without worrying about the underage magic restrictions hindering them.

As Sirius entered the manor, a house elf appeared before him. "How is Mixy serving you Master?" Inquired the elf subserviently.

"Well," Sirius replied gently, " you can start by showing me around and answering my questions. I may move here permanently and I want to know if this home will meet my needs."

A large smile grew on the face of the house elf. She grabbed Sirius by the hand and started to drag him through the nearest doorway, "Mixy will show you everything! You will be so happy! You will be wanting to live here always!" She bounced along in front of him as she showed him every room in the manor, upstairs and down, chattering about the history of the house, and flattering Sirius everywhere they went. Sirius laughed and followed the excited elf.

He found they acquired an entourage as they went. All the elves in the house had come out to see who was there. It seemed that the house elf population had flourished while the manor had been without a member of the Black family living there. They showed their approval of the Master returning in their joyful faces and animated whispering. It moved Sirius that they should be so faithful to him and so eager to please. He was glad to see that they had kept the manor ready for his reappearance. The house was immaculate, but more importantly, because of its status as a "vacation home", it was relatively free of the Dark Arts. It would do. It would be a safe haven for the young boy he had vowed to protect.

"Mixy," Sirius spoke cautiously so he wouldn't alarm the house elf, " I have a friend who will be coming with me to live here, and he has special needs."

"We is taking care of all the Master's friends." Mixy insisted with a firm nod.

"This friend will need to roam the grounds or be in a secure room, like one of the dungeon cells, once a month. During the full moons. This good friend of mine is a Werewolf."

Mixy gasped and shuddered with fright, but then her determination to be a good house elf took over and she answered boldly, "We is taking care of your good friend. He is having whatever he needs while he is living here! We is knowing the Master won't let him hurt us."

"Thats right Mixy," Sirius replied, "I will make sure everyone here is safe." He smiled at the small creature and continued. "I am also bringing someone else here to live that I'm sure you will be very happy to hear about. A baby boy! Well, a toddler really."

Mixy clapped her hands and squealed with delight. "We is helping you with the baby!" She exclaimed, "We has not seen a baby here for long times! What is the baby's name? Is he being the young Master?"

Sirius threw back his head and barked with laughter. "His name is Harry, and yes, he will be the young Master." He continued to chuckle as they walked.

When they were done inside, they walked around the grounds. Mixy showed Sirius the greenhouses and the gardens. There were vegetable gardens to feed the estate, as well as flower gardens to nourish the spirit. The elves also grew herbs and potion ingredients, some that could only be found in that locality, to be sold or stored. A large pond on the grounds provided fish, fresh water, and a quiet place to swim, with luxuriant tropical vegetation abounding.

After they finished the tour, Sirius began testing the wards on the estate. For the most part they had held up well. Where they were weak he strengthened them, and then added more wards that he felt were necessary. His parents had at least given him the training he needed to keep intruders away, whether muggle or magical, and he had learned it well; along with other ways to keep anyone from finding them if they wanted to stay hidden. The last thing that he would do would be to perform the Fidelious Charm, but that would have to wait until they brought Harry here and Dumbledore could help. In the meantime, he would return and help Remus and the Headmaster finish their preparations.

The house elves were worried that he wouldn't come back. The young ones especially held on to his hands and capered around his knees with tears in their eyes, but he hurried to reassure them and they finally let him go.

xxxxxxx

As the sun set over Number 4 Privet Drive on the same day that Sirius had left for the island, Remus stood once more under the invisibility cloak inside the Dursley's home. He was there to observe again, only this time he was watching their evening routine. The soon-to-be-kidnappers needed to know when they could expect this vehemently anti-magical family to go to bed for the night, whether there were any creaking stairs or spots on the floor they should be aware of, or anything else that might alert the home's owners to their presence. He also wanted to keep an eye on Harry in case the abuse became excessive.

_Not that having to sleep in a cupboard under the stairs isn't excessive already, _thought Lupin critically.

Remus sincerely hoped that they would go to bed soon. Listening to the two foolish and insipid adults interact with their toddler, who Lupin was sure would one day be equally vapid and vain, was giving him a sour stomach. Having to watch the way they treated Harry again wasn't helping.

Even though Harry had only been there a little over two weeks, Remus could tell that he was starting to be conditioned to survive the rough treatment and ill-will of his relatives. He cowered if one of them got close to him, even his young cousin, and if he started to cry for any reason, a simple look of loathing from Vernon or Petunia would cause the cry to be swiftly stifled to a small whimper, and then silenced.

"Ooo..my widdle dumpling wants more." Petunia could be heard crooning to Dudley in the kitchen as she fed him a bedtime snack, "You are getting so big and strong. Just like your Daddy." Her son responded by throwing some of his pudding on the floor. Even without his sensitive werewolf hearing, Remus could have heard the heavy splat. Harry just lay quietly in his playpen while his Aunt fed her own child. He already knew that he wouldn't be getting anything except a dark cupboard that night.

Finally Petunia put the boys to bed and Vernon had finished watching his evening shows on the telly. The two adults didn't linger downstairs to spend any time alone together without the children. They simply went upstairs to get ready for bed. Remus followed them upstairs to make sure they went to sleep; and so that he knew which room belonged to the elder Dursley's, and which was Dudley's room.

The rising moon now shone wanly through the doorway of one of the Dursley's guest bedrooms, into the hall where Remus stood. It was so thin at this point that not much could be seen by it's light; for which the werewolf was grateful, as it meant he still had a little more than two weeks before it was time for his transformation. He would be able to function normally and help Sirius and Dumbledore with their plan. _Only two more days, _he silently breathed it, almost as a prayer in his mind, then noiselessly crept back downstairs to vanish into the night. Vernon's loud snoring, and the more muted whistling sounds Petunia made, followed him as far as the back door.

xxxxxxx

The same sliver of moonlight shone through the leaded windows of the Headmaster's office in its castle tower at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The flame from the candle sitting near at hand overpowered the light from the moon, as Albus Dumbledore again read through the parchment Remus and Sirius had brought him. He didn't want to miss any part of the requirements for the procedure that was coming, whether they were words that must be accurately repeated, actions that must be properly performed, or ingredients for the potion that would be laved on both of the participants.

Dumbledore copied out the list of items that still needed to be procured for the brewing of the potion. Some of them would be expensive because of their rarity, but that would not be a problem. Neither the Black vault nor the Potter vault would suffer from purchasing even several hundred times what was on the list. The Headmaster himself had inherited and increased a good-sized fortune that could weather much. No – money would not be a hindrance in their quest. It was more a question of obtaining the ingredients in time for the performance of the rite in two more days. Luckily he had access to someone who had experience in acquiring such things.

He stood, with the list in one hand, stretching, then walked over to the low fire that was also adding light and warmth to the room. Taking a pinch of floo powder, (and cushioning the floor with a quick charm), he knelt infront of the hearth, throwing the powder into the fire and stating, "Professor Snape's Quarters", before he put his head into the flames. He spoke briefly to the resident Potions Master, outlining what he would need and when he would need it by, without revealing the reason for his request. Dumbledore knew that Severus Snape had a strong aversion to the Potter family and their closest friends, due to old school rivalries, and thought it was best to keep him from knowing who was involved,and why.

"Yes." He heard Professor Snape say, as the flames flickered mildly around his ears. "I have contacts who can provide these special ingredients right away. Do you mind if I ask what you are using them for? Professional curiosity – I'm not aware of anything that would use these particular items together."

To throw him off the Headmaster replied, "This and that. They are not all going to be used in the same philtre. I promised a friend to help him obtain some stores that he couldn't find on his own, that's all." He decided to withdraw before Severus could press him further. "Thank you for your help. Please let me know when I can stop by your rooms and pick them up."

"I will have them by tomorrow evening, if that will be convenient for you, sir," promised the man on the other side of the fire. His shoulder-length, greasy, dark hair swinging into his face as he nodded to his employer, "you can come to my quarters before dinner and I will give them to you."

Dumbledore assured him that he would be there and withdrew from the fire, grateful for the ease with which he could get what they needed, but aware of the need for great secrecy. No one could know what they were doing or when, for the sake of security. Harry Potter must be kept safe at all costs.


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: This world of magic belongs to JK Rowling. I'm just playing with the action figures for a while.

Chapter 4 – Black Friday

Three small pops were barely audible to anyone near the Dursley's back yard at Number 4 Privet Drive late that evening. None of the three men that had appeared there spoke a word. They all knew what they had to do.

Hogwart's Headmaster used one of the first spells he had ever learned in his long life to open the door, and stepped inside the spotlessly clean kitchen that was kept that way by the obsessive Mrs. Dursley. He looked around, and seeing no one about, continued on into the living room by way of the hall. Still seeing no one, he sent a silent message in the form of his patronus back through the hall and out the kitchen door to Sirius and Remus. Harry's Godfather then walked in and followed the same path as Dumbledore had, but stopped short of the living room at the door of the cupboard under the stairs. Remus also stepped into the dark kitchen and waited by the back door while he kept watch outside through the window.

Sirius took a deep breath as he stood in front of the small cupboard. As he let it out he quietly spoke the spell that would open the door. "Alohamora." There was a click, then the door swung outward with a slight creaking noise. He looked around automatically to check that no one had heard the door opening. Mentally slapping his forehead he remembered that others were watching his back and he bent down with his wand tip lit to look inside the cupboard. A pair of anxious green eyes were looking out at him. They brightened with recognition, but Sirius could feel the hesitance the boy projected as he recalled his recent usage at the hands of his guardians.

"It's all right Harry," Sirius spoke gently to him, "it's Uncle Padfoot. Come here now." He held out his arms to the child. Harry crawled over to him from the mattress that was laid on the bare floor and up into his Godfather's embrace.

"Pa'foo!" the child cried against the comforting shoulder, and Sirius realized he had forgotten to silence his godchild to keep him from waking anyone. He lifted his wand to remedy the situation, but it was too late. Light footsteps could be heard in the hallway above and then descending the stairs. They stopped abruptly as they got to the bottom of the stairs, and Petunia's voice could be heard in an angry whisper when she recognized the venerable wizard standing in her living room. "What are you doing here?!"

Sirius stood up with Harry in his arms. He made a small gesture with his wand before putting it away, then quietly closed the closet door and backed into the kitchen, while his former Headmaster gestured for Petunia to follow him in also. The look on her face became even more confused and angry when she saw her dead sister's friend there holding her nephew, but she allowed herself to be ushered into the other room, where Dumbledore turned on the lights and proceeded to cast a spell to keep the rest of the family from hearing their conversation.

Petunia immediately rounded on the three of them. "Why are you here? You can't just come into my home any time you feel like it without my permission! You are trespassing and I won't have it! You left the boy here with us and then you come in the middle of the night and wake us up! He will be grumpy tomorrow from not getting enough sleep and I'll have to bear the brunt of it!" She paused for a breath and looked daggers at the men standing in front of her.

"My dear lady," interjected the Headmaster, "we didn't mean to disturb you. We do apologize." He took a sealed envelope out of the pocket of his robes, which were dark purple with moons in eclipse on them, (Dumbledore's way of wearing inconspicuous clothing for the breaking and entering they had done). "Here is the letter we were going to leave for you. It explains that we are making other arrangements for Harry and you no longer need to be inconvenienced by having an extra child in your home."

"Thank goodness!" Exclaimed Petunia. " You have no idea what trouble he caused and how much extra work he made for me. He took my darling boy's toys too! I'm sure he will grow up to be some kind of hooligan, as well as being a freak like my sister and her no good husband!"

Remus snarled at her selfish tirade and opened his mouth to retort, but Dumbledore held up his hand to stop him. Sirius clutched Harry more tightly to him while glaring at Petunia, and the boy stared with wide-eyed apprehension at his aunt, his whole body trembling, as he clung just as tightly to his Godfather.

"I'm sorry you feel that way about a child who has done you no wrong." the Headmaster answered in a cold voice, the usual twinkle in his eye notably absent, "This seems to be best for all concerned. We will not trouble you again." He then nodded at Remus to go out the door and soon all three men were again standing in the back yard. They could hear Petunia Dursley locking the back door, and saw her turn out the lights before heading back to bed without even a backward glance for her own nephew.

Dumbledore held out an old mixing spoon. The portkey he had prepared for them would take them directly to their new home. When they had all put their hands on it he activated it, and Harry Potter left Privet Drive for good.

xxxxxxx

The next morning Petunia came downstairs to begin her morning routine with a quiet cup of tea before starting breakfast. As she sat down at the kitchen table and sipped from her favorite cup, she heard a noise. It sounded like a small hand slapping on a flat surface. She looked around carefully, then stood slowly and followed the sound from the kitchen into the hallway near the stairs. When she stopped she was standing in front of the cupboard under the stairs.

Now she wasn't just hearing a patting on the door of the cupboard, she also heard a toddler's voice crying plaintively, "Out! Out!" She started feeling her temper rise. Was it all a joke? Or did she just dream that the wizards had come and removed her nephew after all? By this point Petunia was fuming. She grabbed the handle and yanked the door open, ready to begin scolding the boy for bothering her before she even finished her morning cup of tea...but there was nothing, or no one, there, only the mattress and blanket that she had put in the closet for Harry to sleep with.

_All right then, _she thought, disconcerted, _I guess I wasn't dreaming. They did come last night, and he is gone. I'll have to clean this out today._

Petunia closed the small door again and stood up to walk back to the kitchen, but before she could take more than a few steps the sounds began again. She turned back quickly with a gasp on her lips and stared with fright at the cupboard that she knew was empty.

A heavy tread reverberated on the stairs and Vernon looked over the railing at his wife standing as if paralyzed in the hallway below. "Ah...there you are luv!" He beamed down at her. "I wondered if there might be something wrong when I woke up and didn't smell the bacon cooking this morning?" He ended on a questioning note. "Petunia?"

"Do you hear it?" Petunia barely spoke above a whisper, her voice anxious to know if her husband was aware of the noises from below his feet. "Can you hear him crying?"

Vernon looked at his wife with a puzzled expression on his face. "Hear what luv? I don't think the boy is awake yet if that's what you're worried about. Neither is Dudley." He smiled down at his wife as if humoring her. "Now you just get breakfast going and I'll be down as soon as I finish my shower." He turned and lumbered back up the stairs without waiting to see if Petunia followed his advice or not.

She watched him go back up the stairs with her mouth open and a hand on her suddenly dry throat. It wouldn't do any good to insist that she heard something. Petunia knew that this was the retribution _they_ had exacted against her for her treatment of her nephew – and deep in her heart she knew that she would be hearing that piteous cry for a long time. Even after the charm that only she could hear wore off.

xxxxxxx

The four wizards reappeared in the foyer of the place that would now be home to three of them for the next ten years.

"Welcome home Harry!" Sirius swept an arm around to include everything they could see, while holding Harry in his other arm. Mixy popped into the room also, and was thrilled to see that her master had brought his godson this time. The child was startled by the appearance of a creature he had never seen before, and continued to attach himself to his guardian like a limpet on the hull of a ship. The excited bouncing and chattering of the house elf though finally broke through Harry's reserve, and Sirius could feel the vibration as a barely heard giggle made its way up through the young boy's chest and out to the ears of the men who loved him. Sighs of relief and gratitude came from each of them, along with their own chuckles, in response to the first positive sign they had from their maltreated ward.

As much as they would have liked to let Harry get adjusted to his new home and his new life, they knew there wasn't much time before they had to start the ritual that would keep him safe until he was of age. "This way." Sirius said, leading the way upstairs to the flat, rooftop space that they would be using for the protective spells. "Mixy, I am trusting you and the other elves to make sure we are not disturbed. You know what to do if enemies come." The house elves own magic would allow them to confuse anyone who made it into the house and keep them locked in a maze until rescued by the master, or until the intruders died.

The new moon, teetering on the cusp, couldn't be seen yet, but Remus still felt its weak pull. A pentagram already lay marked on the floor of the open area. Braziers glowed in each of the four corners of the roof, while white tendrils of vapor floated down the sides of a cauldron that stood near the door leading back down into the house. The potion that they had brewed over the last few days had an earthy smell, with an underlying sharpness that caught at the back of their throats, and was intended to help in anchoring the magic they would be wielding so that they weren't overwhelmed by it. Each of the three adult wizards drew their wands as they entered and as they did so the smoke from the cauldron crept further down and across the rooftop until the pentagram was the only part of the floor left open.

Sirius stood in the center of the archaic symbol and sat Harry in front of him on the floor. He solemnly removed his outer robes while the boy watched quietly, and then his under garments. He took a knife out of the pocket of his robe and placed it next to the wand he had kept, then passed the clothes out of the pentagram to Remus, who laid them on the floor out of the way. The man knelt down to divest his godson of clothing too and helped the boy to stand so that they were nearly at eye level with one another, both of them naked, and waited.

Dumbledore began to walk widdershins around the outside of the symbol that surrounded Sirius and Harry, while Remus walked deosil, or clockwise, in a larger circle that included Dumbledore. They murmured the words of the incantation so low that they could barely be heard. Their steps soon became longer and they strode purposefully in unison, while their voices began to rise in volume. The braziers flared at intervals in response to the words that were spoken, the vapor from the cauldron swirled around their feet and robes, their wands moved in synchronous dips and flourishes.

Sirius picked up the knife. It had been charmed to make painless incisions so that the toddler would not be traumatized by the ceremony. He slashed the skin of his right palm, and then his left, before carving an indistinguishable shape awkwardly over his heart. He then did the same to Harry, who curiously watched the blood trickle from the lacerations to the floor. Picking up his wand, Sirius wrapped his godson's small left hand around it and held onto both of them himself while holding the toddler's right hand in his left with the incisions touching. The wand was lifted and pointed upwards as high as Harry's small arm could go. The child looked up to the sky and laughed at the game they were playing with him.

Remus and Dumbledore stopped still where they were, on opposite sides of the symbol. They also lifted their wands and all three adult wizards spoke a single phrase. "Diligo remidio abbas ut filius quod filius ut abbas." _Love binds__ the father to the son, and the son to the father. _From all three wands light came forth. Red from Dumbledore's wand. Yellow from Remus' wand. Blue from Sirius' wand. The colors came together and twisted over the kneeling man and the young boy. The spiral swirled down around their heads and shoulders, continuing on until they were surrounded in a maelstrom of light that sparkled and entwined to become different colors as the three primary colors collided and meshed. Imperceptibly at first, and then more quickly the light began to fade, until the only places it could be seen was around the clenched hands of the two participants and a clear beam between the markings above their hearts. A last burst of flame from the braziers brought the ritual to a close and the light faded away. The mists from the cauldron dissipating into the clear night air.

Sirius and Harry slumped to the floor. Dumbledore stumbled backwards and leaned against the nearest crenellation, while Remus stood bent over from the waist with his hands resting on his knees, looking like a winded runner.

Remus was the first to recover. He was young, and his werewolf physiology gave him greater physical endurance than normal witches and wizards. He walked over to retrieve two waiting blankets from near the door. Before wrapping the small boy up in one, he reached down and with one finger gently touched the device drawn over his heart. It was a pentagram, a symbol of protection. He laid the other blanket over Sirius, then picked up the toddler and held him in the crook of one arm while using his wand to levitate his friend and bring him along. Dumbledore straightened, and stiffly followed behind the procession as Remus led them back downstairs where the house elves waited with instructions to put everyone to bed.


	6. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: This world of magic belongs to JK Rowling. I'm just playing with the action figures for a while.

Chapter 5 – In The Black

Sirius cracked one eye open. The bright morning sun was finding its way into his bedroom through the openings in the not-quite-closed curtains. He lifted his head slightly to look down at the small form next to him and a slow smile spread across his face. Harry Potter-Black was curled up facing his newly adopted father and snuggled comfortably into his chest. As Sirius shifted, a small frown flitted across the child's face and he whimpered quietly in his dreams, which caused the man to tighten his arm around him protectively and draw Harry in even closer. The frown was replaced with a look of contentment and a sigh.

The stealthy opening of the door interrupted Sirius' contemplation as he quickly looked up, relaxing when he saw Remus poking his head in from the hall. He raised a finger to his lips to show his friend that the boy was still sleeping, and then gingerly extricated himself from the bed and his proximity to the child so that he could get up and use the loo before speaking to the man who had taken care of putting everyone to bed the night before.

"How are you feeling?" The question came from both men at once, after Sirius had returned to the hallway outside his bedroom where Remus stood waiting. They both laughed. "You first." They started again, and then had to cover their mouths to keep from waking up Harry with their laughter.

"I guess I'm a little bit loopy this morning," said Sirius, still grinning, "it wasn't that funny."

"I was so excited I couldn't wait till you two woke up." Admitted Remus. "I had to peek in on you and see how you were. It kind of feels like Christmas – starting a new life here, with you and Harry. You probably will feel a little drained today, so go ahead and rest as much as you can. I have a feeling we're going to need our strength with a toddler in the house!"

"Speaking of strength, how's Dumbledore doing? Have you seen him yet this morning?" Asked Sirius.

"He was awake and having breakfast when I came up." Remus told him. "He'll stay until you both get up at least, just to see for himself how you are after the light show we put on last night."

"I'm going back to bed." Sirius informed his friend. "I don't want Harry to wake up and find himself alone."

"Right." Remus agreed. "I'll just wait for you both – impatiently! - downstairs." He walked off as Sirius opened the bedroom door and slipped back inside.

Shutting the door quietly behind him, Sirius tiptoed back to the bed and slipped back under the covers. He gathered the child close to his side again and then fell back to sleep with a smile still on his face.

Warmth spread across his stomach and continued up his chest and down his thighs. He could feel the sun radiating down on him as he lay on a beach, the sand comfortable underneath him, his eyes closed in relaxation and to keep out the light. Then a breeze started to cool the air around him, even though the sun still shone above. His skin began to feel chilled, and he thought about summoning a blanket to cover himself and keep the wind at bay. He opened his eyes - to see the sun still pushing through the gaps in the curtains on the other side of his four poster bed - and realized he had been dreaming...but the uncomfortable, cold feeling remained. As his brain began to reconnect to reality, he threw back the covers and leaped out bed with an unrestrained howl. "Aaauuugh! I'm all wet! Remus!"

Sirius, blaming his sodden state on his best friend, reached for his wand on the nightstand to perform a drying charm. Simultaneously, a child began to cry loudly from the other side of the bed and running footsteps could be heard in the hall coming towards his room.

Remus crashed through the door with his wand drawn, determination and anxiety written on his face. Sirius froze in place, understanding beginning to dawn on his own features. Harry continued to sob and push himself into a corner of the bed where he could hide under the blankets from whatever monster had startled him awake.

Laughter escaped between the fingers of the hand Remus had clamped over his mouth as he realized what had happened. They had put the toddler to bed the night before without securing a diaper on him - and he had proceeded to induct Sirius into the office of fatherhood. Swearing under his breath at the bungling start he had gotten off to in his relationship with his former godson, Sirius finished using his wand to dry the boy's urine from his sagging shirt and boxers, then proceeded to mend his fences.

Moving slowly and gently, he crawled across the bed. Murmuring soothing words, he peeled back the blankets and exposed the child's black hair and tear-streaked, over-heated cheeks. The wailing was becoming a whimper now as Sirius ran his hand through the damp tresses and down Harry's back, easing him carefully closer so that he could gather the boy in his arms. "It's all right...don't cry Harry...we love you...I'm sorry I yelled...it's OK...Padfoot's sorry...don't cry...", and on, until the whimpering tapered off to became muffled, intermittant hiccups, which finally stopped altogether, and he could hear low, even breathing as Harry drifted off again into an uneasy slumber. "Shut it!" Sirius hissed at Remus, who was still softly chuckling while leaning against a post at the foot of the bed.

Dumbledore's voice was heard from the doorway. "Did I miss something?" Remus had to muffle his laughter again and cling to the bedpost to keep from sliding to the bedroom floor. Sirius rolled his eyes and held Harry close.

xxxxxxx

"Ahhh...Another night, another spell." Intoned Remus, jokingly. They had just finished invoking the Fidelius Charm on their new home and were celebrating the completion of their week-long plan.

Sirius raised his bottle of butterbeer in a mock salute to the two men who sat with him. "I propose that Albus Dumbledore be named an honorary Marauder for his part in this conspiracy!"

"Motion seconded and carried!" Remus confirmed enthusiastically, joining in the toast.

"Thank you for your confidence in my penchant for mischief and misdirection." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily as he lifted his own bottle. "I would not have missed out on this little adventure for the world!" Taking a swig and feeling the warmth of the butterbeer slide down his throat he continued. "I will come by as often as I can to visit all of you. You will need to keep in touch with what is going on in the outside world, and things should be settling down soon, so maybe you won't have to stay so isolated. Short trips for supplies or entertainment would not be out of the question as long as you are circumspect and don't draw attention to yourselves."

Remus almost choked on his drink and he stared at the Headmaster. "Sirius. Not draw attention to himself. That's a good trick!" He lips twisted into a smirk at the thought.

"Hey! That's your best friend you're slandering there!" Sirius shouted in mock outrage. "Besides, I can be 'circumspect' when I want to. I just don't want to much. It's more fun to be noticed. It attracts the birds." He lifted an eyebrow expressively.

Lupin rolled his eyes. "Women _don't_ like to be called _birds!_ How many times do we need to go over this?"

Dumbledore leaned back in his chair and watched in amusement as the two friends went back and forth in an obviously familiar argument.

xxxxxxxx

"It's your turn!"

"No, it's your turn!"

"I'm sure it's your turn!"

"You're wrong! It's definitely your turn!"

"I _know_ I did it last time!"

"How can you say that? You _know_ it was _me_!"

Remus and Sirius were at it again. Standing nose to nose with their hands on their hips and a snarl on their faces, their young charge wandering around below them with an _interesting_ smell emanating from the depths of his sagging nappie.

Seeing that the adults weren't paying any attention to him, Harry started pulling and pushing at the offending garment until it was around his ankles, and then stepped out of it. Giving a giggle of delight at his freedom, the toddler ran from the room.

Noticing that the nearby aroma had intensified, Remus looked down just in time to see Harry scamper out the door. "Catch him!" He called to Sirius, and they both careened after the boy, anxious to keep him from sitting on anything.

"Gottcha!" Remus scooped up the laughing child and held him up high, his feet kicking freely and his bottom safely away from the carpets or furniture. "I'll hold him, you clean him." He instructed Sirius. The other man raised his wand to comply and soon they had Harry wearing a new nappie and ready for his afternoon rest.

That evening, before dinner, Sirius found Remus using a sticking charm to tack a piece of parchment to the wall in Harry's bedroom. It was a nappie changing chart with just two names on it. "I've charmed it to illuminate the name of the person whose turn it is at the moment. That way there will be no more arguing about who did it last. If I change him, your name will light up, and if you change him, my name will light up. It also doubles as a night light." The werewolf explained to his dark-haired friend.

"Hey! What about full moons?" Asked Sirius huffily.

"You change them on the full moon nights and I'll do them all the next night." Remus retorted. "Easily handled."

"And what about when Albus comes to visit?"Sirius thoughtfully rubbed his chin and his eyes cut slyly over to Remus, who traded looks with his best friend and clapped him on the shoulder. "I think we can add another name to the chart, just for special days!" He replied with a grin. They both threw back their heads and laughed as they envisioned their former Headmaster in the act of changing Harry's nappie.


	7. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: This world of magic belongs to JK Rowling. I'm just playing with the action figures for a while.

Chapter 6 – A Black Mood

Life on an island, even a beautiful, tropical island, can get a little repetitious, and Sirius Black had never been the kind of person who bore up well under any kind of monotony.

All of their needs were taken care of. They lived in a majestic home, impressively furnished, with luxurious surroundings. They were waited on by an adoring staff of house elves that cooked, cleaned, babysat, and did the gardening. Whenever they wanted to stroll through the grounds of their home they were sure to be gratified by the lovely and diverse groves of trees, glades covered in blossoms, and the stream that flowed down from the highest points to end as a waterfall in the natural lagoon that boasted a sandy beach along the end farthest from the rapids. There was even an area set aside for more active sports such as wizard tennis, or Quidditch. Even the weather was accommodatingly balmy on most days.

Inside there was a library that rivaled Hogwart's massive stacks. There was a game room that included a pool table, pinball and foosball, (compliments of Sirius' exposure to Muggle entertainment), alongside the more normal wizarding pastimes of chess, gobstones and exploding snap. In the lower levels were rooms that were set up for fencing and swordplay, a potions laboratory, and for practicing defensive/offensive spellwork, (not to mention the old family dungeons). On the roof was the observatory, with charts and telescopes; and the owlery.

Their days were, for the most part, dictated by Harry's schedule. They had breakfast together when he woke up. They played outside with him in the mornings; chasing Padfoot or splashing in the shallows of the water, climbing and running, and building sandcastles. When the toddler had exhausted his keepers, they went in for lunch and a nap. Afternoons were usually spent indoors, since the sun was more intense at that time of the day and Harry's fair skin was prone to sunburn. The youngster's nursery was well equipped with books, toys, and educational puzzles and games. His favorite toy of course, was the child's broom that had been charmed to float a foot or so off the floor and couldn't go out of the nursery room unless one of the adults allowed it. Remus and Sirius took turns keeping him busy until it was time for dinner. The house elves were always available and willing to play with Harry too. After dinner they spent the evenings taking a walk or reading aloud from 'Beedle the Bard' (Harry's favorite), then giving the boy a bath before putting him to bed.

This routine was only interrupted for the Christmas holidays, and that was only in small ways. Having Dumbledore stop by frequently was a help because they felt more in touch with society in general when he was there. The only sad note was when the Headmaster brought them news of their friends, Frank and Alice Longbottom. They had been attacked by Deatheaters trying to extract information from them, and subjected to the cruciatus curse until they were driven insane from the pain. They now resided in the Long Term Care Ward at St. Mungo's hospital. The Longbottom's son Neville, who was the same age as Harry, was left, for all intents and purposes, as an orphan, and he now lived with his rather austere paternal grandmother.

"But why, Albus?" Remus inquired sadly. He leaned forward and set the teacup he had been holding on the low table in between the three men who had gathered in the library to talk. "You-Know-Wh- V-Voldemort, is gone. For all they know forever! What possible reason did they have to think that Frank and Alice knew something that was so important even after his death?" He ran a hand through his hair in a gesture of frustration, and as he glanced at the Headmaster he saw a flicker of guilt in the old man's eyes before they returned to showing the pain they were all feeling. "You know something!" He whispered in astonishment. "What is it?" The werewolf raised his voice accusingly. "If it has anything to do with Voldemort, then it has to do with Harry too, and we need to know what it is! Besides," he added, a little more reasonably, and with insight, "we've gone through enough together lately that you know you can trust us."

When Dumbledore still wasn't forthcoming, Remus continued quietly, "Sometimes a burden needs to be shared so it won't weigh too heavily on one person."

Sirius nodded emphatically and voiced his agreement, "If the Longbottom's were tortured into insanity for information, then we could all be in even more danger than we thought if anyone finds out that Harry is here." Not that was likely that anyone would find them, with all the precautions they had taken. What could it be that Dumbledore was keeping under his, (rather outrageous), azure and fuschia swirled hat?

The elderly wizard sighed inwardly as he sipped his tea, stalling, too obviously, for time. He set his cup down on the table too, and wished that he could keep what he knew from the young men seated beside him, who had already been through so much in the past few months. They deserved to know what had brought all the horror into their lives, and might bring more in the future if he had read things correctly. They needed to be prepared so that they, in turn, could fully prepare their young charge.

The atmosphere in the room had become tense in the few moments since Dumbledore had discharged his depressing news. Sirius and Remus waited now to hear what could have caused the usually cheerful Headmaster to turn pensive, and reluctant to answer them.

Albus sighed again out loud before he spoke. "Did James ever tell you exactly why I asked him and Lily to go into hiding?" Both of the younger wizards shook their heads negatively.

Sirius shook his head, "We just assumed it was because they opposed Voldemort so vocally. They had already been pressured and attacked by Deatheaters several times." Sirius shook his head sadly as he remembered his friends strength of will.

"Alas, it was more than that. Although that would have been quite enough reason to go into hiding." Dumbledore paused again before continuing. " There was a prophecy made. I was a witness to it...as was one of Voldmort's followers. Thankfully he didn't hear the full prophecy before he was discovered eavesdropping, only the first part. But that caused Voldemort to focus his attention on two families who could be the subject of the prophecy." Again Albus paused.

"What did it say?" Encouraged Remus quietly, not wanting to interrupt the Headmaster's thoughts, just keep him talking.

"I was interviewing a witch for the Divination post at Hogwarts, and was almost persuaded to remove the class from Hogwart's curriculum. I was mostly just going through the motions out of courtesy to her family, since I knew of and respected her great-great-grandmother's well-known seer gift. This young woman had never truly manifested any talent, though she was enamored of the subject, but when I turned to go she fell into a trance..." He proceeded to relate the prophecy in it's entirety.

_"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches ... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ... And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."_

"If the Potters were one of the possible families," Sirius said thoughtfully, " the other family must have been...the Longbottoms. That's why they were attacked, even after Voldemort was gone?"

"I believe so," answered Dumbledore. "There are still a few of his followers that don't understand that he _is_ gone. They continue to follow his instructions, and wreak havoc and destruction, simply because they cannot give up their cause. The aurors are using most of their resources trying to find those who are continuing to persecute anyone who is not "pureblood", according to their standards."

"So, Voledmort only heard the first part of the prophecy, the part that helped him to find out who it could be that would be able to vanquish him, right?" Sirius closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead with his fingertips as he put voice to his questions. "It could have been either boy, born at the end of July? Voldemort didn't even know that he fulfilled the prophecy when he went after Harry and marked him. How ironic!" He made a sound that could have been a bitter laugh, but was cut short so that it ended up more like a sob.

"What about Frank's son, Neville? Is he safe now? Can his grandmother protect him?" Remus queried doubtfully. Their own recent grief caused him to worry about their friend's child. "If we have had to take such stringent precautions, then won't he need the same level of protection? Especially if the remaining Deatheaters are willing to try to kill Neville in order to make sure there is no one who could fulfill the prophecy."

The Headmaster frowned thoughtfully as he answered Remus' questions. "I'm relatively certain that the security measures surrounding the Longbottoms are enough, since Voldemort is gone for the time being. He is the only one strong enough to break through the wards that we have put up around the manor, although a concerted effort by a large group could also get past the defenses. We don't have much in the way of alternatives though..." Dumbledore let the sentence trail off as if still thinking, gazing vaguely at Sirius, but he was hoping that his meaning would be caught by the two bright minds that were listening. He would rather it be their own suggestion; something freely offered.

Remus' head swiveled from watching the elderly wizard, towards his more contemporary friend. Sirius' head came up as he became aware of both sets of eyes being focused on him. "Well...", he drew out the thought, "we have more than enough room here for an extra child - and his grandmother - if she wants to come too." He finished with less enthusiasm and a lift of one eyebrow humorously.

"That is very generous of you." Albus' lips quirked as he tried to keep the laughter out of his voice. "I will contact Augusta Longbottom immediately and lay out your proposal. It would be best for them to come as soon as they can, to avoid any more incidents of the same nature." He sobered as he reminded the two young men that Mrs. Longbottom might have a hard time adjusting to living someplace other than her ancestral home, especially following the loss of her family.

"Augusta is not used to dealing full time with a young child. Frank and Alice didn't live at the manor with her, so she only saw Neville once a week when they visited, or if she dropped by their home." He also mentioned the stilted relationship between Augusta and Alice because of the matriarchal witch's jealousy of her son's shy, young wife. Frank's mother had never felt that anyone was good enough for her only child. "Having him taken away from her in such a manner only seems to have confirmed to her that she was right, instead of making her regret her grudge. I'm afraid that she will take out her resentfulness on the child. Having both of you around will hopefully curb some of her tendency to speak ill of Alice, and keep her from expecting Neville to be another incarnation of her son, Frank."

xxxxxxx

Augusta Longbottom was conflicted. That didn't happen to her very often. She grew up with a strong sense of self-worth, which had been strengthened when she had married into the well-respected Longbottom family. Her husband was much older than she was, although she had not married until she was almost thirty, and he preferred gardening to any kind of social life, so she represented the family at ministry functions and was a strong community leader. Her only regret was that she waited so long to start her own family, and her only shame (in her eyes) was that, due to complications, she could have no more than one child, on whom she had doted. When her husband died before their son was married she hadn't missed a beat as she picked up the reins of the family and took her place as Matriarch. Now in her seventies, she was still active in social events and she enjoyed the prestige and respect that her reputation brought her.

Her conflict was in her feelings towards her only grandchild. The death of her son had affected her deeply. He had been her whole life until he had gotten married to that _girl_. How could anyone as shy as that be the kind of wife that Frank needed to help him carry on the Longbottom legacy? For that matter, how could anyone that shy become an Auror?

Frank had met her at Hogwarts while they were both still in school, and after they were married they had entered the Auror Academy together, both graduating at the top of their class. Alice took a sabbatical after they found that she was pregnant. She had gone right back to work after Neville was born though, hiring a young witch to help with the baby, and Augusta couldn't understand that either. Why would a young mother want to work when she had a baby to raise? Her duty was to her family.

Therein lay the conflict. Augusta knew her duty was to her family, above all. She had always known it and had always done her duty. But now her heart was broken and she could feel nothing but resentment toward this child that was left in her care. She couldn't see Frank in him at all. He looked like his mother and he was just as shy. Not like her happy boy at all. She couldn't see past her own heartache to comfort this child who had just lost his parents.

When Albus Dumbledore had come to her with a plan to send her and Neville into hiding with the Potter's child, she was relieved. Augusta told him to take the boy, but she would stay in her home. They could let it be known that she didn't know where her grandson was and the rumor would keep them both safe. She trusted the Headmaster to make sure Neville was raised in a good environment.

Dumbledore tried to reason her into going with the boy. "You know then that I can't tell you who will be raising your grandson, or where he will be living? You understand that you will not be able to see Neville except under what circumstances I can arrange?" He paused, waiting for a reaction, but none was given. "It will not be often, as that will give those who are watching a chance to learn Neville's whereabouts." Dumbledore's sad face watched his old friend carefully. He understood what she was feeling and why she didn't want to join her grandchild in exile. That didn't make it any easier for him to see her pushing the boy away. His heart ached for both of them.


	8. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: This world of magic belongs to JK Rowling. I'm just playing with the action figures for a while.

Chapter 7 - Little Black Dress

Their daily schedule didn't really change. It just expanded to fit the extra minutes it took to do everything twice. The accoutrements in the nursery doubled too. Two small beds, two wardrobes, two of most of the toys so that there weren't fights over a favorite. The only thing the two guardians couldn't increase was their energy, and that was always flagging by the end of the day.

One evening in late February, after Harry and Neville had finally gone to sleep for the night, Remus and Sirius were relaxing in the library. Remus was levitating a large tome on obscure hexes and their counters in front of him, since it was too heavy to hold. Every so often he would wave the hand that wasn't holding his wand in a lazy arc and another page would turn. Sirius turned his head from watching the flames in the fireplace to see his friend's progress and rolled his eyes at the display of wandless magic. "Show off!", he muttered to himself.

A small smile crept across Lupin's face to show he had heard the comment. Not taking his eyes from the page in front of him, he said, "Did you know that if you were to curse someone to make all their food taste like eggplant, they would have to roll across a bed of parsley, naked, under a new moon, to take the curse off? Do you think that's because parsley is good for clearing the palate under normal circumstances?"

"I hate eggplant!", complained Sirius.

"I know," returned Remus slyly.

"Do we have a bed of parsley?" Sirius sat up quickly in alarm as he realized what Lupin was implying. He was halfway to his feet when Remus waved his free hand again and magically pushed him back into his seat. "Relax," he said with a short laugh, "I wouldn't do that to you. Unless I was alone, or with somebody." Sirius had a confused look on his face as he worked that out, which only caused Lupin to laugh again.

"Is this the only entertainment you can come up with?" sighed Sirius when he finally got the joke. "Making fun of me?"

"Well, you said you were too tired to do anything in the game room tonight, or any night for that matter," replied Remus, still reading.

"I can't help it. The boys wear me out so much, that by the end of the day I'm just glad to sit down for a while and put my feet up." Sirius sighed again. "Who would have thought that the heir to the house of Black would be reduced to retiring to an armchair by the fire at nine o'clock at night at the ripe young age of twenty-two?"

"That's the 'heir to the _Noble_ House of Black', and I'd say you're just 'dog-tired'," laughed Remus again, finally looking up from his reading to see the canine animagus assume his form and come galumphing over to knock his friend out of the chair with the force of his weight. The levitating charm was broken in the ensuing tussle, and the huge book landed with a reverberating thud on the ground, while Remus' wand went flying into a corner of the room.

Padfoot licked Lupin's face one last time in triumph and morphed back into his human form, stretching before returning to his earlier position by the fire.

Remus climbed to his feet, wiping drool off his face and reaching out his hand in the direction he last saw his wand go. "Accio wand," he intoned, and the wand flew into his hand. "What I really think you need, Padfoot, is a night out." Lupin raised the book back up with a quick flick and swish, and checked it carefully for damage. "Things have calmed down enough since Voldemort's disappearance for us to chance being seen around town again. As long as we don't establish a pattern, no one will be able to predict when we'll be in any one place." He raised an eyebrow. "If you're especially paranoid, you can use a glamour and change your appearance."

"I would stay away from places you used to go to," Lupin grimaced in distaste, "and not just because of wanting to keep a low profile. You could do with a change in the type of girl you bring home. Not that you'll be bringing any of them home in the near future," he added hastily when he noticed Sirius' sudden frown, "You'll just have to tell your lady friends that you'll meet them somewhere. _If_ you manage to see them more than once."

"That could be construed as a slur on my character!" Sirius pouted in mock affront, "What about you? Aren't you planning on a few outings yourself? I seem to remember you frequenting a few places that weren't so classy. Maybe we'll have to make a wager of some kind," he grinned mischievously, "How about...the first one who finds a woman to date steadily for a month gets to dress the other in drag and watch while they try to pick up the oldest wizard in the Leaky Cauldron on a Friday night?"

xxxxxxx

"Hold still Sirius!" Remus was pinning a conjured barrette in the long black hair of his best friend. "I just have to finish your make-up..." He stepped around Sirius and waved his wand back and forth in front of a very sullen face, reciting the incantation, then gave him the hand mirror and stepped back.

Sirius took the mirror while attempting to adjust the hem line of the dress he was wearing. "Why does it have to be so short?" he grumbled, "No one's going to take me up on anything if they get a load of these legs." Looking in the mirror he grimaced, "I'll have to hope their eyesight is too bad to notice anything amiss. Green eyeshadow and five o'clock shadow don't go together. If I have to do this I'm hoping to get a decent dinner out of it anyway. How did you know the charm for make-up?"

Remus smirked, "I've had a couple of months to look it up and practice. Besides, I've got the inside track since I'm the one that won the bet. My _girlfriend_ helped me!"

Sirius hobbled over to a seat in a dark corner of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. He deserved a few moments with something cold and sweet after the past two hours of embarrassment. Thank goodness Remus had enough talent with transfiguration to keep everyone from recognizing the Black scion as he had pranced through the Leaky Cauldron, boldly flirting with the elderly Antigonus Bellows. '_If I had to lose a bet, at least I did it in style_,' he thought, as he took off one of his shoes and brought his foot up to rest on his knee so he could rub it, '_and I got dinner out of the old skinflint! How do women wear these things all day?_' He put his shoe back on and took off the other one. He gave Mr. Fortescue his order and continued to rub, routinely scanning the customers around him for signs of recognition or danger.

Not too many people were present at the moment. Across the room a family was finishing up and preparing to leave, near the front of the shop a couple was playing footsie and smiling at each other, and at the table next to him a young woman was sitting stirring an ice cream float of some kind. He paused to take a better look at the woman. She wore her honey-brown hair in a bob that was longer in the front than the back and tucked behind one ear. She also wore a slight frown as she stirred her order, seeming to be deep in thought.

As if she felt his gaze on her, she raised her eyes and returned his stare, exchanging her frown for a smirk when she realized that, despite the women's robes and heels, she was looking at a man. "Lose a bet?" she asked with a twinkle in her hazel eyes.

"Yes, actually," Sirius replied sheepishly. He grinned at her and said, "Care to join me? I'll tell you the whole sordid story."

"Sure. I'm up for a good story." She picked up her drink and slid into the seat across from him. "I'm Calliope," she said, reaching her hand across the table, "Calliope Montrose."

Sirius clasped her hand in his own and introduced himself, "I'm Sirius Black. My hair is usually much shorter. I think its longer tonight because the natural curl has been deflated. Much like my ego." He proceeded to explain the bet, and described how he had previously been spending his evening. They were both laughing when he finished. The ice cream was more like soup by the time they got around to eating it and they wound up talking for a couple of hours before they noticed how late it was getting. It wasn't hard for Sirius to arrange another meeting with Calliope, and he was glad that she wasn't frowning anymore.


End file.
